2017 International Conference on Sustainable and Renewable Energy Engineering
Performance and Economic Analysis of Solar Water Pump System
1 1
Bancha Sreewirote , Akeratana Noppakant , Chaichan Pothisarn
1
Department of Electrical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Thonburi University, Bangkok, Thailand
2
Faculty of Engineering, King Mongkuts Institute of Technology Ladkrabang, Bangkok, Thailand
e-mail: srbancha7@gmail.com, chaichan.po@kmitl.ac.th
AbstractRenewable energy gain a lot of attention due to
rapid energy consumption growth and environmental issue
especially solar power. This paper aim to present the designed
and analysis of solar water pump to replace conventional diesel
water pump that agriculturist currently used. The prototypes
of solar water pump have been built and installed at southern
province of Thailand. The prototype of proposed system has
been evaluated in term of its performance in actual field test.
In addition, economic analysis also performs in order to
evaluate the feasibility of solar power in water pump
application.
Keywords-solar water pump; photovoltaic system; economic
analysis
I. INTRODUCTION
The renewable energy has gain a lot of attention due to
increase awareness in energy and environmental issue. The
energy consumption has been increase significantly due to
rapid economic and population growth. Renewable energy
especially solar power has been rapidly growth in term of
penetration level and variety of application. One of an
application is water pumping system. Conventional water
pump mainly used diesel motor or electric motor that require
an energy from outside source such as fuel or electrical grid.
Thailand is still largely dominant agricultural sector despite
continually growth in industrial and decreasing in cultivate
area. Currently, agricultural from area that located far from
irrigation system has been using water pump in order to get
water for cultivate area. However, the conventional water
pump can be economic burden for agriculturist from energy
cost. This result in opportunity for newly solar water pump
technology that based on renewable energy with low
operation cost.
Solar water pump system has been constantly developing
and improving over a period of time. Research by Sontake
and Kalamkar has review current solar water pump
technology, it concerns and performance in each types of
technologies has been addressed [1]. The differentiate
between conventional power source and photovoltaic power
source does not affect motor characteristic. However, the
photovoltaic power has better advantages in term of output
efficiency by 39% according to Korpale and et al. research
[2]. Effect in term of different types of photovoltaic panel on
solar water pump has been discussed in [3]. Using case
study in Brazil, the result shown that polycrystalline has
better
efficiency with less cost per volume of water pump. The
model simulation and field test of solar power water pump is
978-1-5090-6339-0/17/$31.00 2017 IEEE
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presented [4]. The result reveal that efficiency of the system
is related to operate frequency of water pump. In
Bangladesh, the case study of solar water pump using DC
motor with batteries for energy storage has been designed
and built with its performance evaluation is presented in
Khan and et al. research [5]. The result shown the satisfy
performance with less operation cost than conventional water
pump. The complex system that including storage system is
discussed in [6]. The research discussed above has reveal the
potential for solar water pump system to replace conventional
pumping system in order to improve energy efficiency.
For the economic perspective in solar water pump, many
researches and case studies has been done to evaluate the
feasibility in its application [7]-[9]. The case study of solar
water pump using in mining application from economic
point of view is propose [7]. The study has shown that
Photovoltaic (PV) system provide an attractive promise
especially with full capacity on favorable condition.
Economic and sensitivity analysis for water pumping based
on various options reveal that photovoltaic system with
energy storage is cheaper than other types and it can be
reducing energy cost further with rising fuel price [8]. The
policy challenge and issue for solar irrigation pump in
Bangladesh has been discussed [9]. The feasibility has been
presented from economic perspective. From the literature
review discussed above, it can be seen that solar water pump
has potential to replace conventional diesel or electric water
pump due to its advantages in energy efficiency.
This paper aim to presented the solar water pump system
performance analysis in term of system performance
and
economic feasibility for replacement conventional diesel or
electrical water pump. The prototypes unit has been
designed, built, installed and test in Nakhon Ratchasima
province, Thailand. System performance has been evaluating
in actual field test and the economic analysis has been done
in order to provide the feasibility of solar power in water
pump application.
II. SOLAR WATER PUMP DESIGN
The proposed solar water pump has been designed with
principles that its must have similar requirement compare to
currently using diesel water pump in order to replace it
without any problem. Requirement for flow rate in this case
3
study site is 3,000 litre per hour or 0.00083 m /s. The water
velocity can be calculate using equation (1)
Q
V (1)
A
When This research select two set of 12V batteries with series
V = water velocity (m/s) connection to rise voltage level to 24V. Result from
A = Cross-section area of piping (m2) calculation reveal that system require minimum battery
Q = Flow rate (m3/s) capacity 117Ah, so battery has capacity 100Ah each. For the
photovoltaic panel, two set of polycrystalline panel with
Size of motor require for water pumping can be calculate
according to equation (2) [10] power generting capacity 300W each has been used due to
constaint on install area and installation cost. However,
selecting panel pass minimum requirement for supply power
P UgQhp (2) to batteries and can be ensure that water pump can be operte
even in un favorable weather.
When
P = power (W) III. SOLAR WATER PUMP SYSTEM
U = density of water (1,000 kg/m3) The solar water pump has been desiged and actual
g = gravity (9.81 m2/s) prototypes has been built according to specification
mentoned in previous section. The prototypes performance
h p = Head (m) has been tested in actual field test. The solar water pump
The result from calculation shown that in order to installed and test location is located in Nakhon Ratchasima
achieved require flow rate, it need power at 489.35W. Thus, province, Thailand. The installed location is shown in Fig. 1.
this research using motor pump size 600W. Selecting motor
pump require 24V Direct Current supply and consume
1500Wh per day. For smooth operation batteries must have
sizing that capable to operate motor pump over the period Water Pump Installed Area
that has low solar energy. The calculation is done
using equation (3)

Cmin Ed (3)

Vdc u K dod PV System installed

location

When

Cmin = Minimum battery capacity (Ah)

Ed = the design energy over the autonomy time (Vah)
Vdc = Nominal battery voltage (V)
Figure 1. Installed location.
K dod = Maximum depth of discharge (%)

1. 300 W solar panels

1 2. Charge Controller
2
3. 100Ah Batteries
4. Motor Control Circuit
4 5 5. 600W Motor Pump
Measurement
Point 1

Measurement
Point 2

3
Figure 2. Diagram of solar water pump.
 FUSE6A
+24V +24V
MANUAL AUTO TM1

SELECTORSW.3_STEP

STO
P
REMO TM1
TE TM
STAR
T
REMO
TE TM1

1RM M 2 X1
1L11
G X1
1L12
R
X2 X2

-24V
-24V

Figure 3. Control circuit.

50
40
30 Temperature(C)
20 Voltage(V)

10 Current (A)

Figure 4. Voltage, current and tempurature at solar panel.

The diagram of solar water pump is shown in Fig. 2. The
system equipment and component can be described as
follows; Two polycrystalline photovoltaic panel with 300 W
300W generated capacity each have been used as power
source as indicated by number 1. These panels connected to
charger controller as indicated by number 2. Charge
controller has control function for charging operation to
batteries until it full of capacity and discharge power to
water pump. Two set of 100 Ah batteries with series
connection indicated by number 3 has been used for power
storage and supply power to water pump. The reason for
using power from batteries not directly from photovoltaic
panel is photovoltaic panel provide fluctuation power
generating that depend solely on weather, thus its can affect
pumping operation and severely reduced water pump life
cycle. The motor 600W water pump indicated by
number 5 has
operation scheduler that control by control circuit indicated
in number 4. The control circuit diagram for water pump
is
shown in Fig. 3. It has two timers for control water pump
operation period with led lamp for status indicator.
The measurement has been done using power meter in
order to obtain operating characteristic of solar water pump
in term of electrical parameter such as voltage and current
over the period of one day. The measurement has been done
on two locations in order to fully grasp the performance of
entire system. measurement points are located at
photovoltaic panel for power generating evaluation and the
second point is located at batteries for charging performance
analysis. Temperature on site location also been collected.
IV. RESULT
The prototype unit has been built and actual field test has
been done. The performance of proposed solar water pump
has been measured and evaluated. Voltage, current and
temperature at photovoltaic panel that obtain from
measurement point 1 over period of one day can be
illustrated in Fig. 4. From the figure, it can be seen that
voltage and current from solar panels are depend on solar
irradiance and temperature. In the morning at 6.00-7.00
A.M. and in the evening at 5.00-6.00 P.M. solar irradiance is
low, this result in low voltage, current. The power that
generated from photovoltaic panel also lesser compare to
another period. While peak period is around 11.00 A.M.
-2.00 P.M. with high solar irradiance, result in high voltage
current. thus, the generating power that from photovoltaic
panel is highest in these period.
Electrical parameter and temperature obtained
from measurement point 2 over the period of one day that
located
at battery is show in Fig. 5. The result reveal that charging
operation for battery does not occur in morning and evening
period. The reason is voltage level is lower than controller
setting point at 35 V in that period of day. Thus, the
controller charging operation cannot operate. This result
in no power charging in that period. The charging current is
highest around 11.00 A.M. -2.00 P.M. due to high
solar irradiance. This trend is similar to previous
measurement point describe above and its illustrated that
photovoltaic panel has generating capacity for charging
operation and batteries has capacity to operate water pump.

50

40

30 Temperature(C)

20

Voltage
(V)
Current
(A)
10
Component
Water Pump
0Batteries
Solar Panel
Charge Controller
miscellaneous
Installation Cost
Figure 5. Voltage, current and tempurature at battery.
*35THB = 1USD
V. ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
The economic analysis for solar water pump has been
done in order to evaluate the feasibility of solar water pump
compare to conventional diesel water pump. The water
usage statistic reveal that designated research area has
average water usage approximately 8,000 liters per day and
water pump has pumping capacity at 2,800 liters per hour.
The current diesel water pump operate schedule is 3 hours
of water pumping per storage tank and system is
operate average at 180 pumping per year. The cost of system
equipment and installation are described in Table 1.

TABLE I. EQUIPMENT AND INSTALLATION COST

The solar water pump can reduce energy cost at 1,680
USD annuals assume that fuel price in Thailand is 0.85
USD per liter and commercially available water pump that
currently used in Thailand consume approximately 6 liters
of diesel oil per 3 hour of operation. This result in payback
period approximately 1.85 years. This result reveals the
advantage in economic perspective of solar water pump due
to the companies claim that water pump and battery is
guarantee around five years. Thus, solar water system can
reduce energy cost compare to conventional diesel
water pump with reasonable installation cost.
conventional diesel water pump currently used by
agriculturist with many benefit in term of energy, economic
and environment.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The authors wish to acknowledge financial support from
Faculty of Engineering Thonburi University research fund.
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VI. CONCLUSION
This paper has presented design and development of
solar water pump. The performance of proposed system has
been evaluated by using power meter to obtain electrical data
from photovoltaic panel and energy storage device. The
result and performance analysis has shown the effectiveness
of solar water pump compare to diesel water pump that
farmer normally used. From the economic stand point, it can
be seen that solar water pump can achieve more than diesel
water pump counterpart with less than 5-year payback
period. The proposed solar water pump can be
replacing
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